In  April 2012 the “Federal Recognition Act” entered into force in order to improve the assessment and recognition of vocational qualifications achieved abroad. The research project MoVA reflects the implementation of this act by analyzing the strategies, concepts and practices of other countries regarding recognition of vocational competences and qualifications. The research is aimed at making available experiences from selected countries which have existing models and statutory regulations for the recognition of foreign vocational qualifications and competences (Norway, Canada, Denmark, Australia and Switzerland); the recognition regulations and procedures that exist in those countries will be examined in more depth. To this end, the principles underlying the models in the respective countries, their design and institutional embedding will be presented with reference to country studies and investigated by means of qualitative interviews. Alongside this monitoring approach addressed to the education-system level, the procedures in use – and hence consideration of the concrete implementation level – constitute a secondary focal point of the project.

The research questions are geared towards the following headings:
Principles: What were the guiding principles and driving forces for the recognition regulations?
Design: On which methodological and conceptual foundations is recognition constructed in the different countries? Is there any legally binding basis, and what is its nature? What function is ascribed to recognition? What legal effects are associated with recognition?
(Institutional) framework conditions: How were the models/procedures introduced? What preparation period was necessary for this? What resistances and problems arose in the process?
Stakeholder constellations: Which stakeholders are involved in implementation? How do the stakeholders work together in the field? Which constellations of stakeholders prove to be favourable, and which do not? Where do tensions occur between them? In which institutional context do which stakeholder constellations develop? Are these comparable across the countries studied?
Procedures/examination criteria: Which procedures are in use? Which measures, if any, are in place before or after the procedures? Which cooperation exists with relevant stakeholders? Which rights/obligations for the applicants are associated with recognition procedures? How (and with whom) were the procedures developed? How is the success of procedures assessed? What do recognition procedures cost and who bears the costs? Are there individual support structures for the applicant?
Implementation: Which factors have proved to be beneficial in the operative implementation? How do the various stakeholders rate the success of the models? What are the motives of those seeking recognition (who seeks recognition and for what reason?)
Within the context of the various approaches actor-centred institutionalism and governance forms a theoretical basis for the analysis of the underlying coordination processes as well as for their implementation and institutional integration.
Ir is expected that the collation of the results leads to the identification, systematisation and classification of the models and procedures deployed for the recognition of professional and vocational qualifications acquired abroad and of their methodological conceptual principles, the prevailing institutional conditions and of their de facto use. 

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